Limestone Storage Collapse Forensic Review

The client commissioned the design and construction of two material storage buildings at a production facility in Broceni, Latvia. The two buildings were structurally supported by a series of arches composed of cold formed steel members. After being in service for a little more than two years, one of the two building partially collapsed under heavy snow loading. Ultimately the facility management elected to proactively demolish the second structure which was not impacted by the snow event and construct two replacement structures in the place of the original buildings. The property insurer for the facility owner filed suit against the parties involved in the design and construction of the original storage buildings.

Walter P Moore was retained by the legal team on behalf of the design-build contractor to analyze the allegations related to the appropriateness of the snow loading selected at the planning stage of the project as well as the structural design of the buildings. Walter P Moore’s subject matter experts reviewed cotemporaneous project documentation, performed independent structural analysis of select elements, and reviewed laboratory test results. This work included preparation of expert reports and deposition testimony in the matter which was ultimately settled during mediation prior to trial.